Surprising Salt Lake: Mountains, Museums, and More

By Bill Malcolm*

Pride Salt Lake City

Imagine Denver but instead a city right next to the mountains where you can be skiing or hiking in 20 minutes. An outdoorsy climate with varied geography. Interesting neighborhoods and great transit. Friendly people. And very welcoming. And booming. With a great hub airport just 20 minutes from downtown via the TRAX Light Rail.

Yes, that would be Salt Lake City. The nearby snow-covered Wasatch Mountain range provides a stunning backdrop to Utah's biggest city.

Do

Visit the Utah Museum of Natural History. Great exhibits highlight the state's interesting and varied geography and geology. Learn about the Hoodoos of southern Utah. Enjoy the Museum Cafe. And the dinosaur and bug exhibits.

Red Butte Botanical Gardens and Arboretum

Next door is the Red Butte Botanical Gardens and Arboretum run by the University of Utah. Learn about the native plants adopted to the various climates of the state. Hike the many trails. Both the Museum and the Gardens are accessible via the Red Line (Trax) and campus free bus shuttle. I liked learning about the diverse plants of the state which run from the Rocky Mountain trees to the deserts of Southern Utah.

Explore downtown and the new Mormon Church Temple Welcome Center (aka Tabernacle Plaza) with its beautiful gardens and stunning views. City Creek is the downtown mall just south of there.

Eat

Brio Italian Grill at 50 Regent Street downtown has great food. Try the pizza.

The Level Crossing Brewing Company has a broad selection of beers and a nice outdoor patio. It is in the cool new Post District (550 S 300 West) in a new neighborhood of apartments and restaurants (and very walkable). It is just steps from the Hampton. Enjoy Wedge Salad or the wood fired pizzas. There is also an innovative Mexican restaurant nearby plus several bars.

Vessel Kitchen is a fast casual healthy foods chain with innovative dishes. Try the custom protein salad with cilantro slaw, roasted Brussel sprouts, Thai carrots, and Fresno cauliflower with beef brisket smothered in tahini sauce at Vessel Kitchen. You will find them around town including at 1146 E. Fort Union in Midvale.

Tony Caputos is a deli with a cult local following that is quite popular.

Getting There

Wasatch Mountains

I took Southwest Airlines and did not mind their new assigned seating system. I went out through Denver and back through Chicago. Salt Lake City is a Delta hub so treat yourself nonstop. The Green Line Trax takes you downtown in 20 minutes and is just $2.50. Rental car/UBER not needed. An all-day pass on TRAX is just $5.

Nightlife

Club Try-Angles is a great bar with a nice outdoor patio. They have events every night like Karaoke on Thursdays. You will find them at 251 W. Harvey Milk Boulevard at nine hundred South just a half block from the TRAX light rail station (just south of downtown). Details at ClubTry-Angles.com.

Sun Trapp is another option (suntrap.com) and has drag shows. Why Kiki (whykikibar.com) is downtown and even features a silent disco and a drag brunch on Sundays.

While not an LGBTQ bar, the Green Pig Downtown Pub and Grill has drag bingo Tuesdays at 8 p.m. They also host parties during Pride Week. You will find them at 31 East 400 South downtown. Party like a pig.

While not a gay bar, urban hipsters will love the Water Witch with specialty craft cocktails and a friendly, quirky vibe. Try the Queen of Sierra red wine. It is in the 9th and 9th neighborhood near Try-Angles full of interesting independent shops and restaurants.

While you are there, walk or bike on the new 9-Line Trail, which is an urban trail running east to west in this fun neighborhood and near the Trax 900 South Station just south of downtown.

Stay

I stayed at the Hampton Inn Downtown which is more affordable than the other hotels I checked out. There are two Marriotts downtown. The Marriott at City Creek Center is a bit dated with a lengthy line to check in. There is a new downtown Marriott just south of there. I have also been to Kimpton. However, I use TripAdvisor to compare hotel reviews and rates and avoid hotels with resort fees/destination fees/amenity fees. Hotels have gotten expensive so shop around.

For More Information

Q Salt Lake is your LBBTQ publication (QSaltLake.com). UtahPride.Org is your site for Pride events throughout the state. And there is something happening every day at the Utah Pride Center. Salt Lake City Weekly is the weekly independent paper that features local happenings including a lively music scene plus lots of festivals.

If you drink, enjoy your alcohol at the bar as the state runs the liquor stores which are hard to find and inconvenient (although there is one downtown). However, the state now allows beer sales at regular stores if the alcohol level is 5% or below.

I really was surprised by how much I enjoyed my visit to Salt Lake City. You should check it out. Next time I will rent a car and go hiking in the nearby mountains or to see the stunning national parks of southern Utah.

*Bill Malcolm writes a syndicated LGBTQ value travel column carried by various LGBTQ+ publications around North America and posted occasionally on the IGLTA website. He resides in Indianapolis. You can find him on Facebook and Instagram.

About the Author

Bill Malcolm Bill Malcolm is North America's only syndicated travel columnist. He focuses on value and pays his own way. He takes local transit and seeks to go where the locals go. He has appeared 100 times in LGBTQ publications and on websites including the IGLTA travel blog. You can find his work in GRAB Chicago, Erie Gay News, Seattle Gay News, and other places. He does this as a volunteer and does not charge for his work. He boycotts hotels and hotel chains with resort fees, amenity fees, destination fees, and other made up junk charges. He resides in Indianapolis. Follow him on Facebook.